The Washington Post just published the following opinion piece by prison reform activist, Taylar Neuvelle, who was also interviewed recently by Scott MacFarland of NBC News Washington, DC about the condition of the DC jail. Neuvelle also participated in the Sept. 29-30 Building a Trauma-Informed Nation conference and late this summer in the Trauma Informed DC/ACEs Connection Network school to prison pipeline event.

When I was released from jail, I needed help from the District with finding safe and affordable housing and getting a job. I went to the government office charged with helping formerly incarcerated residents, known as “returning citizens,” but I received no help.

When I sought help at the Mayor’s Office on Returning Citizen Affairs (ORCA), a career development employee told me, “You got a rÉsumÉ, a degree and your ID card. What you need us for? You need to get out there and get yourself a job.”

D.C. law established ORCA as the lead agency for coordinating and monitoring services for the District’s returning citizens.

[To read more of this opinion piece, written by Taylar Neuvelle, go to https://www.washingtonpost.com...71f713d0c_story.html